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(No Model.)

G. E. BLAINE 82; E. HILL.

RAILROAD GROSS TIE AND SLEEPER.

No. 380,274. Patented Mar. 27, 1888..

VVz'z'nesses: Inventors: I

Gzo. E. BAH/IVE rs [an n20 HILL:

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GEORGE E. BLAINE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, AND EDWARD HILL, OF CAMBRIDGE CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO MILLINGTON KEMPER,

DAYTON, OHIO.

TRUSTEE, OF

RAILROAD CROSS-TIE AND SLEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 170.380.2'74, dated March 2'7, 1888.

Application filed October 29, 1887. Serial No. 253,751. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. BLAINE, of Dayton,in the county ofMontgoniery and State of Ohio, and EDWARD HILL, of Cambridge City, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Gross-Ties and Sleepers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to that class of crossties which are designed as a substitute for the ordinary wooden ties, and has for its object the improvement of such ties by means of which cheapness combined with strength and efiiciency are obtained.

The nature of our invention will be fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of the track and ties as is necessary to illustrate our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.- Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line a: :12, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the tie-rod. Fig. 5 is a plan View representing a modified form of anchorblock, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the tie-rod.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

The rails A are of the usual or any suitable construction and are spaced and supported by the rods B. These rods B are stamped or out out of sheet metal, their ends b being en larged and flat, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the

central narrow part being bent so as to be of an iuvcrted- U shape in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 4.. The flat ends 5 of the tie-rods rest on wooden blocks 0, which in turn rest upon the tops of frusto-conoidal or frustopyramidal earthenware or terracotta anchor-blocks D, which are buried with their enlarged sides down in the gravel or earth composing the road-bed. These anchor-blocks D are dished out on the under side, as shown at d, and are also provided with a hole, (1, which extends 5o entirely through them. The object of having them hollow is to vitrify and more thoroughly harden them in the process of burning in order to render them more impervious to moisture. The anchor-blocks are also provided with two 5 5 holes, d d, through which passes a U-shaped bolt, E. The bolt also passes through the wooden blocks 0 and the fiat ends of the tie-rods B, and receives upon its projecting threaded ends the clippieces G, which fit over and embrace the flanges of the rail A on each side, and are held down by means of the nuts 6, all

of which is clearly shown in 3. Vooden blocks F are interposed between the bolt E and the under side of the anchor-blocks, as shown.

The object of the wooden blocks 0 and F is to prevent friction between the hard substances of the rails and anchor-blocks, and also to serve as cushions, for, while it is desirable to have all the separate parts firmly secured together, too much rigidity is not desirable.

It will be observed that by making the anchor-blocks frusto-conoidal or frnsto-pyramidal and burying them large side down a very secure anchorage is obtained, which will not be affected by the action of moisture or frost; also, by having the under side of the anchorblocks hollow or dished when the blocks are buried the effect of suction or a vacuum is produced, which tends to hold them more securely in place against any lateral shocks or jars.

While we prefer to use anchor-blocks frustooonoidal or frusto-pyramidal in shape, yet we do not wish to confine ourselves to these particular shapes, but can use anchors of any form provided their lower ends are made larger than their upper ends, to enable them when buried to resist upward or lateral strain, and 0 we prefer that said anchor-blocks be constructed of earthenware, terracotta, or the like, as these substances are extremely cheap and easy to manufacture, and are so light in weight that they can be readily transported in 5 large quantities, and at the same time they are exceedingly durable and ofsufficient strength to resist all strain brought to bear upon them when put to the use intended.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim. and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with the hollow anchorbloclcs, of the rails, the tie-rods, the wooden blocks, the clips, and the U-shaped bolts, sub stantially as described. I

2. The tie-rod B, having the enlarged flattened ends I) and having its central portion bent to form an inverted U shape in crossseetion, combined with the rails, the anchorbloek, the interposed wooden blocks, and seouring devices, substantially as specified.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, an anchor-block formed of earthenware, terracotta, or the like, being hollow and having its bottom dished, substantially as described.

4:. As an improved article of manufacture, a tie-rod slamped out of a single piece of sheet metal, having its central portion U-shaped in cross section and its opposite ends flattened, enlarged, and having a plane upper surface to pass beneath and support the rails, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the rails and tierods, of anchorblocks, securing devices to clamp the rails, tie-rods, and anchor-blocks together and in position, cushioning'blocks interposed between the rails and anchor-blocks, and cushioning-blocks interposed between the securing devices and lower surfaces of the anchor-blocks, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the rails and tierods, of anchor-blocks to support the same, U-shaped bolts passing through the anchor- .-blocks and clamping the rails, tie-rods, and

anchor-blocks together and in position, cushioning-blocks interposed between the ends of the tie-rods and upper surfaces of the anchorblocks, and cushioning-blocks interposed between the lower portions of the U shaped bolts and the under surfaces of the anchor-blocks, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the rails and anchor blocks, of tie-rods connecting the rails, said rods having their central portions U- shaped in crosssection and their ends flattened and enlarged, the enlarged ends supported by the anchor-blocks beneath the rails, and securing devices passing through the ends of the tie-rods and clamping the rails, tie-rods, and anchor-blocks together, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. BLAINE. EDWARD HILL.

\Vitnesses to George E. Blaines signature:

0. E. DUFFY, J ULIUS SOLGER.

lVitnesses to Edward Hills signature:

A. B. Rnnvns, W. F. MEDSKER. 

